God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at day break.

The Love You Deserve

I have not yet encountered the love I deserve, but I know it’s out there. I don’t typically like to say I deserve anything, but in this case I know I’m worth far more than rubies (see Proverbs 31:10). I often have to remind myself not to settle because if I do, I will miss out on the experience of real, true love. Not the stuff from the movies, but the God ordained love that I know He is preparing for me. The love that is far greater than anything I could ever ask or think. Though I haven’t experienced this subjective reality for myself, I believe it will be a love worth waiting for.

I believe both you and I deserve a love that can see past our physical beauty down into the depths of our hearts. I believe we deserve a love that desires knowing us on that level. We deserve a love that will make us feel beautiful even on some of our ugliest days; a love that will support us and show genuine interest in the the things that matter most to us. The love that encourages us to continue being ourselves and won’t manipulate us into being someone we’re not. We deserve a love that will love us for who we are.

I believe we deserve a love that can lift our spirits even in our lowest moments; a selfless love. The love that is willing to sacrifice for us. We deserve a love that builds us up on days when we don’t feel so confident; a love that can be strong for us in moments of weakness. The kind of love that will check in to see that we are okay and be the first to intervene if we aren’t; a love that genuinely cares. We deserve a love where we can feel safe and secure; a faithful and honest love. The love that wants to see us happy and will do whatever it takes to make sure that we are.

I believe we deserve a love that won’t make us question if a person truly loves us. We deserve a love that is willing to cross oceans for us. We deserve a love that we won’t have to beg for; a love that will go above and beyond to make us smile and do its best not to be the source of our tears. The type of love that will be slow to anger and quick to forgive. We deserve a love that is willing to work out our problems rather than run away to the things of this world. The love that will listen to us and be considerate of our feelings. I believe we deserve a love that makes us think to ourselves “this is almost too good to be true”.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Now I’m not talking about a perfect love, but rather a love that will try. I believe we deserve a love that is willing to put in the work it takes to grow and become the best love it can be. With that being said, don’t be so naive to think that this love is a one way street. This is a love that is to be given freely. It’s a love we deserve to receive as well as a love we ought to give. I know it can be hard to pour into others when they don’t pour back into you, but we are called to love others. Showing love to our neighbor is a part what makes us beautiful. As we await the love we deserve, we should be preparing ourselves to also be the love someone else deserves.

As for romantic love, we have to learn to not give so much of ourselves away so easily. If you’re anything like me, you have a big heart that loves to share the love. But when we give that love to undeserving people, it can cause us to grow weary and become discouraged. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”Proverbs 4:23. Some people will take the love you give for granted, and if we aren’t careful, we might believe that what they’re offering is love. Don’t be fooled. We deserve a love that reflects the love of Jesus. A love something like the one described above, yet still far greater.

Love is an action word. It’s a decision, not a feeling. I no longer believe words (or my emotions for that matter). I believe how people treat me. I believe patterns of their behavior. Actions speak so much louder. I believe when it really is love, I won’t even have to question it. So this is a reminder to not settle for anything less than the love you deserve. There is a love out there looking for someone as great as you. That love – that God ordained love that will bring peace rather than confusion – is out there and it will find us one day. Don’t settle. ♥